**** LATEST NEWS ****

Registration is now open to the Early Birds We have opened registration to those who have expressed an early interest and will open registration to all on Saturday 22nd March 2014 when the full schedule will be revealed to the awaiting world

A bit about BlokeFest 2013

BlokeFest is all about decent blokes escaping from their regular humdrum existences as Dad, worker, Hub, Partner, son, father, grandfather, whatever, to bond together through the medium of song, the occasional drink (yes, even milk!), a breakfast pie, a "Best Beard Competition" and being called to sing in some sort of harmony, as you can see from these photos snapped (left to right) at breakfast, at breakfast (!), at the "Tonsorial Titan Challenge", and at the time to amass to sing.

Testimonials from 2013Here are some quotes from BlokeFest 2013 attendees garnered from our feedback form when asked "What did you think of the event overall?" "Can't wait for next one - great event - really enjoyed it". "Essential fixture. Will be back again this year". "Brilliant ""Blinking good". "Really looking forward to it again - excellent overall" "MAGNIFICENT" "Extrabulous" "I am [now] part of the group [The Magnificent AK47] so shows that the event exceeded all my expectations. I am trying to drag (kicking and screaming) as many of my friends along to Blokefest 2014". "All fantastic - the focus of the weekend and the main reason for attending - just singing with a group of men who all want to make the best sound that they can, and enjoy the experience". "Great fun. Enjoyed the breakfast pie under a tree sheltering from the rain".

In the meantime . . .

Gearing up for BlokeFest 2014!

The slumbering machinery of the BlokeFest Inner Circle Organizing Team has been cajoled into action and there has been a collective girding of loins to the point were we have a BlokeFest 2013 Feedback for attendees to fill out to help us plan and also an "Expression of Interest" form if you are interested in attending.Please spend the 5 minutes or so it will require to complete to help us organize an even better BlokeFest 2014 and more news soon(ish).

MEN.SINGING.AND STUFF

All happened near Cirencester, England, Friday 14th, Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th June 2013At The Tunnel House Inn and Barn and The Daneway Inn, and Sapperton Tunnel

About BlokeFestFor the third year running on one weekend in June we’re going to sing like blokes, act like men and get to be one of the guys. Our guiding philosophy is that singing is a truly manly activity as long as you sing the right stuff, in the right way, with the right men:

think Shanties not shandiesLumberjack not TimberlakeDiY not R’n'B.

The plan is simple.

We're going to meet at a suitable location somewhere in the Wiltshire / Gloucestershire / Oxfordshire area with its own Campsite and the weekend will unfold something like this . . .

What?Friday Evening - We're organising a gathering of the clan that will involved a visit and no doubt something to eat and drink, all still very much "TBC" but we will most likely be hiring a coach for those who wish to fully partake which might be a few quid extra.

Saturday - we'll be having numerous singing workshops and learning blokey songs from some well-known singing men (see below), we'll be having a suitably blokey communal meal for omnivores, veggievores, non-glutenivores and otherspecialitivores and then heading for the barn where the various solo blokes and bloke groups - and anyone else who fancies entertaining us - will entertain the gathered throng.

Sunday - We'll have another short Sunday Morning Workshop and then we'll most likely be hiking a couple of miles to another great pub. On the way we will conduct sonic experiments at lower frequencies, singing songs as we go and then gathering for a final magnificent sing song and break camp during the afternoon.

A singing bloke if ever there was one. He leads five community choirs including The Magnificent AK47, the toppermost all bloke Georgian-inspired singing troupe ever to escape from North, North Wiltshire, and performs with the awesome Spooky Men's Chorale when they tour the UK and Europe.

A singer, guitarist songwriter, arranger and choir leader (and all round good bloke) based in Buckinghamshire.

He composes all sorts of music for radio and TV and also chops wood!

He may welll be leading workshops over the weekend and in 2012 year he wrote the superb "(Alone in my) Shed" then topped that with a brilliant piece based on an obscure Spaghetti Western classic "A Gringo Like Me" for the 2013 event. With any luck he might even write something especially for us again this year.

Our guest from 'up north', David leads four community choirs; the “Sheeptown Songsters” in Skipton, “Border harmony” in Barnoldswick, the “Courthouse Choir” and “Me-Time” in Otley.

He also arranges and leads singing events and holidays for singers, and is a singing tutor with HF Holidays. He sang in a trio “Going South” with Pete Ogley and Lynn Redmond, and now enjoys singing with Liz!In 2012 his teaching of "Drystone Waller's Song" went down a storm with attendees and in 2013 he brought a collective lump to all our throats introducing us to the delights of "Myfanwy".

Book your place NOW!No real need to hurry just yet as official registration has yet to be opened, but to declare an "Expression of Interest" so you will get a priority heads up when registration is officially opened - click here and we'll explain more.